Rabat, Morocco, will host the preliminary phase of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027 Play-Off Tournament from November 28 to December 5, with six national teams competing for places in the final qualification stage.

FIFA confirmed on Tuesday that Chinese Taipei, Ecuador, Ghana, Papua New Guinea, South Africa and Uzbekistan will participate in the nine-match competition at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Rabat. The tournament represents a crucial opportunity for the six nations to keep their World Cup ambitions alive. 

The participating teams will each play three matches, with the two highest-ranked sides advancing to the final phase of the play-off tournament scheduled for February 2027.

The opening matchday will feature Uzbekistan against Papua New Guinea, Chinese Taipei versus South Africa, and Ghana against Ecuador.

The fixtures will bring together teams from different confederations, setting up an intercontinental contest for the two available places in the next stage.

South Africa and Ghana lead Africans charge

Africa will be represented by Ghana’s Black Queens and South Africa’s Banyana Banyana, both seeking another opportunity to qualify for the global showpiece in Brazil.

Ghana will open its campaign against Ecuador, while South Africa will face Chinese Taipei in their first match.

The Black Queens will be aiming to navigate the preliminary phase successfully after missing out on direct qualification through the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. South Africa will similarly seek to progress and remain in contention for a place at the tournament.

However, neither team can afford a slow start, as only the top two sides from the six-team preliminary phase will advance. 

Road to Brazil 2027

The preliminary phase is the first of two stages in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 Play-Off Tournament, which will determine the final three teams to qualify for the 32-team competition.

The two successful teams from Rabat will join four nations entering directly into the final phase. Those four will comprise two teams from the Concacaf region, one from South America’s CONMEBOL and one from Europe’s UEFA.

The six teams in the final phase will compete across three qualification paths, with each path producing one winner and one additional World Cup qualifier.

Consequently, progressing from Rabat will not automatically guarantee a place in Brazil, but it will bring the successful teams a step closer to securing qualification. 

Morocco Continues to Host Major Women’s Football Events

The selection of Rabat further strengthens Morocco’s role as a host of major international women’s football competitions.

The Mohammed VI Football Complex is currently hosting the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, giving the country another opportunity to showcase its football infrastructure and organisational capacity.

The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be staged in Brazil from June 24 to July 25, marking the first time the tournament will be held in South America.

For Ghana, South Africa and the other four participants, the immediate task will be to make the most of the November–December window and secure progression to the final play-off stage.